Witoubou Newmai
At least for now the gesture of N Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur State, has brought the Nagas and the Manipur Government to a meeting point, a huge advancement in an effort towards a ‘way forward’. Exchange of sweetness, in the warmth of willingness to carry forward this atmosphere of ‘talking terms,’ persists for the time being. However, all concerns are now on finding ways and means to take this bonhomie to the next level.
Amid these celebrations, Naga organizations have already come down to business by placing issues they stand for before the Chief Minister.
The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) have already shown to the Biren Singh Government that when it comes to what they stand for, they would not hesitate to tell things to the face.
On April 11, at Ukhrul town, the all-grinning Chief Minister N Biren Singh might have realized what discomfort feels like in a public space when the apex Tangkhul body told him what the Naga people want.
The TNL urged the visiting Chief Minister to “recognise and honour the legitimate rights of the Nagas to integrate all contiguous Naga areas and to extend all possible support towards expediting the ongoing peace process and solution of the long-drawn Indo-Naga political imbroglio in the interest of all concerned."
Few days before the Ukhrul event, the ANSAM had voiced strongly against the Biren Singh Government’s decision to raise Highway Protection Force on national highways. The Naga students’ body accused the Biren Singh Government of trying to "militarize the Naga and tribal areas and to create avenues for state terrorism."
In the next few days’ time the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Manipur Government are likely to resume their talks on the contentious district creation issue.
The UNC lifted the four and a half months’ economic blockade on the national highways linking Manipur on March 19 this year following a "fruitful" tripartite talk involving the Centre, Manipur government and the Naga body with the announcement that the “next tripartite talks will be held within a month’s time at political level.”
When these issues are actually discussed, amidst the ongoing bonhomie between the Nagas and the Biren Singh Government, the authenticity of the latter’s gesture will be exposed whether they are the same old rhetoric, the standard smokescreen of successive governments’ policy in a different avatar, or there is genuine willingness and ability to resolve issues.
It is every sane person’s prayer that wisdom and maturity intervene when the Nagas and the Biren Singh Government engage on issues.
The Manipur Government must realize that the survival of any conversation is at risk if dissenting voices are not recognized—this is what has led the situation thus far in Manipur.
Having seen the marred atmosphere left behind by the previous government, it is everyone’s hope that the Biren Singh Government can hold strong to the compelling virtue to change course for the better.
